Thread: BCDC Redarc

Originally Posted by bee utey

I believe they do, I found one on a 2007 RAV4 too. It's a modern strategy for reducing fuel usage by controlling when the alternator is needed.

Impressive. Seems like a feed forward control scheme, react to the current use rather than the voltage drop, should mean a more more steady voltage supply to the vehicle components.

OK Pete doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to follow up so I will post up the advantages of using my ( Traxide ) kits and if anyone wants to post up the advantages oF DC/DC devices and everybody can get in on any debate as to which offers what, for a given set up’s requirements.

I now have two isolators available for any of my D3, D4 and RRS kits, the standard SC80-LR and the new 160 amp USI160.

The basics of how isolators work, and how they differ from all other isolators is that when the motor is turned off, where all other isolators cut out ( turn off ), the SC80-LR and the USI-160 keep the cranking battery and the auxiliary battery(s) connected and they remain connected unless the common voltage of all batteries drops to 12.0v

This is called the SHEARED mode and has been the main feature of my isolators for more than 20 years.

By shearing the load over two ( or more ) batteries means that in the average vehicle there is an increase of at least 50% more power available for accessories. In the case of D3s, D4s and RRSs, there is actually a 100% increase of available power because of the limited size of the auxiliary battery.

This is the only system that makes so much power available in the normal two battery set ups.

But there is an additional advantage when using these isolators, a feature that is of particular advantage to D3s, D4s and RRs. Most vehicles now have Calcium/Calcium ( Ca/Ca ) batteries and this means that while they are actually easier to replace the bulk of any power used while the motor was off, but Ca/Ca batteries are extremely difficult to get to a fully charged state.

With the Traxide isolators, and the way they keep the batteries together after the motor is turned off, because the auxiliary battery is usually in a higher state of charge, when the motor is turned off, the auxiliary battery slowly discharges back into the cranking battery and over a short period of time, the cranking battery’s state of charge progressively rises.

This has a number of advantages for the cranking battery because it is always kept in a fully charged state. The higher state of charge helps to extend the cranking battery’s life span but the cranking battery has an easier time starting the motor, which again also helps to extend it’s life span.

Another additional advantage in these vehicles, is that many, from new will get “LOW BATTERY” messages displayed on a regular basis. Again, because of the way the Traxide isolators allow the auxiliary battery to raise the settled voltage level of the cranking battery, with in 1 to 3 weeks of a Traxide kit being fitted the messages cease.

Here are a couple of diagrams to help explain how Traxide isolators differ from other systems, NOTE the example voltage is slightly higher than a D3